Michigan State at Purdue: Sunday Stats Dump

Purdue went from scoring zero points to 31 points against the stout Michigan State defense and the day might have been the most efficient performance of the season for the Boilers. Purdue managed just 340 total yards against the Spartans, but scored 31 points. That is a far cry from the 326 yards and only 17 points gained on Central Michigan. Purdue also had 129 yards rushing, which was well above Michigan State's defensive average coming in.

These were just a few of the encouraging signs that we saw yesterday. Here are some other statistical numbers:

• Akeem Hunt's big day of 92 yards and three TDs moved him past Otis Armstrong for fourth all-time in all-purpose yards at Purdue. He now had 4,602 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, and kick returns) and needs 108 total yards to pass Mike Alstott for third on the list. Kory Sheets at 4,944 in second place is also within reach. Dorien Bryant's record of 6,219 is likely out of reach.
• Hunt also has 1,628 rushing yards in his career, as he passed four people to shoot to 17^th on the all-time list just ahead of Jaycen Taylor. Is he were to gain 400 yards in the final five (or six?) games he would becomes the 12^th player in Purdue history to rush for 2,000 career yards and could even reach 10^th all-time (Leroy Keyes, 2,094 yards)
• With 16 career touchdowns after three on Saturday Hunt is close to the top 20 in Purdue history, as Jim Beirne, Wally Jones, and Ralph Bolden have a three-way tie for 20^th with 17 career scores.
• B.J. Knauf became the first player not named Danny Anthrop to catch a TD pass from Austin Appleby.
• If Anthrop catches 100 yards worth of passes against Minnesota he would be just the seventh player in Purdue history to have three straight 100 yard receiving games.
• After being dead last in scoring offense last season Purdue has now improved to 10^th in the 14 team Big Ten at 26.9 points per game. Minnesota is ninth at 27 ppg.
• The Boilers are also doing well in total offense at 350.1 yards per game, ahead of only Michigan and Minnesota, but far better than last year.
• The rushing offense was also deep in last place last year, but has great improved to 164.1 yards per game, good for a 7^th place tie with Michigan. Purdue's next opponent, Minnesota, averages 212 yards per game on the ground.
• The pass offense is struggling at only 186 yards per game, but is still 11^th in the league. Purdue faces the two worst passing teams, Wisconsin (141 ypg) and Minnesota (119.8 ypg) in the next few games.
• The Purdue pass defense has been lit up the last few weeks and is now 13^th in the league at 268.4 ypg, ahead of only Indiana. Hopefully facing Minnesota and Wisconsin will help this.
• Purdue is the least efficient passing team in the league with a rating of 108.3, but Appleby's passer rating of 120.1 is better than Danny Etling's rating of 102.5 with only half the attempts.
• After Frankie Williams had another big return Purdue leads the league in interception return yards with 186, one of just two teams with over 100 interception return yards.
• Purdue is second in the league in punting at 40.6 net yards per punt.
• Purdue continued to be godawful on stopping third downs. They are last in the league by a lot as teams convert 49.1% of third downs. I would love to see the percentage of 3^rd and longer than 7 converted, because it is probably even higher. Purdue is 117^th out of 125 FBS teams.
• Purdue continues to be the best team in the conference at stopping fourth downs, stopping 9 of 10, so go figure.
• Opponents are only giving Purdue a league worst 31 yards per game in penalties, so at least we're getting beaten without the other teams cheating. Only 27 penalties for 217 yards have been called against Purdue opponents.
• Purdue is doing very well in the red zone, as teams are only 25 of 33 in scoring in the red zone against us. Iowa and Illinois each had multiple drives inside the 20 that netted zero points.
• Individually, Hunt is now 10^th in the conference in rushing at 77.4 yards per game. In rushing yards his 542 yards is sixth. He is also 9^th in the league at 107.7 all purpose yards per game.
• Raheem Mostert, who had a decent day returning kicks, is 10^th in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards with 107.3 per game.
• Mostert is now second all-time in kickoff return yards at Purdue with 1,898. With 228 more he will pass Dorien Bryant for first place all-time.
• Paul Griggs is third in made field goals in the Big Ten with nine. His mom is also awesome for bringing me some Yuengling.
• Landon Feichter is leading the Big Ten with 66 total tackles, tied with Damien Wilson of Minnesota.
  
• Frankie Williams is tied for the lead in the Big Ten with three interceptions and leads in interception return yards with 119.
• Ja'Whaun Bentley leads the Big Ten in tackles by a freshman with 42. In fact, among the league's top 50 tacklers he is the lone freshman.